SANCTUARY
by Sila-chan
Summary: She's the undisputed Princess of Furinkan. He's the bad boy next door. When two forces collide...R
1. Default Chapter

SANCTUARY  
  
She's the undisputed Princess of Furinkan High. He's just the bad boy next door. But when good meets bad...an angel and a demon fall in love...  
  
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"Akane! Hurry up or we'll be late for school!" Nabiki called from the doorway.  
"Have a nice day, Akane-chan!" kasumi smiled at her pleasantly.  
"Thank you oneechan! Bai bai!" She raced past, grabbing the bento before flipping out the doorway with a hand spring.  
  
"I'm ready Nabiki! Let's go!" Akane danced around her older sister playfully.  
"Look at us! The Ice Queen and the Princess, hey?" Nabiki smiled at her.  
"Hmph! I never asked for that stupid title..."  
"But you have to admit...it is nice being popular, isn't it?"  
"Infamous in your case..." Akane muttered, causing Nabiki to take a swing at her with her school bag.  
"Hey! I was just joking...sheesh..." Akane grinned, springing up onto the fence.  
"Akane! Do you want everyone to look up your skirt?" Akane's reply was cut off as a motorcycle came roaring around the corner, engine throbbing. It pulled up next to them, catching both by surprise.  
"Excuse me ladies...do you know where Furinkan High is? I'm new to the neighbourhood...and well, I'm just starting today..." The driver pulled off his helmet, revealing tousled black hair in a pigtail, and crystal blue eyes.  
Nabiki gaped.  
He is cuuuuuute!  
"Sure...well we're heading there now...you could follow us..." Akane smiled at him.  
I bet he's a pervert...  
"Yeah...but then whad'you reckon I'm supposed to do with my bike?" He dropped the smooth facade, frowning.  
"Oh yeah...forgot about that..." She looked it over.  
"Genuine Harley?" She was impressed. None of the other guys at school could afford one of those.  
"Yeah...you into bikes?" The guy seemed interested.  
"Yeah..." A warning nudge from Nabiki was enough. She sighed.  
"No...I am a cute feminine Princess..." She mumbled, causing Nabiki to laugh.  
"Excuse me?" The guy looked confused. Akane blushed.  
"Dare."  
"Excuse me? I hate to break up this heart warming meeting...but if we don't hurry, we'll be late for school, Akane."   
The driver looked up and grinned.  
"Akane, huh? My names Saotome Ranma, of the Saotome Anything Goes School."  
"Really? That's weird, I study Tendo Anything Goes-"  
"AHEM..." Nabiki coughed.  
"Oh yeah...we better get going...just keep going straight..."  
"Do you girls want a lift?" He smiled at them.  
I bet he really is a pervert...but what's the harm?  
Say yes Nabiki! Say it!  
"Yeah!" They chorused, and glared at each other, blushing. Ranma grinned amusedly.  
"Right then, hop on Akane and-"  
"Nabiki Tendo."  
"Ice Queen of Furinkan High." Akane snickered.  
"Shut up, Princess..." Akane growled as Nabiki smirked.  
Akane swung in behind Ranma, Nabiki behind Akane.  
They roared off with a 'Whoop!' from Nabiki, and Akane had a huge grin on her face.  
  
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CHAPTER 2  
Akane leant forward into the wind, her arms around Ranma's waist. He had given Nabiki his helmet, seeing as she was the only one who needed it. Apparently Akane had experience with motorbikes...He looked back at her. She was _hot_. He grinned back at her.  
"No troubles?" He yelled into the wind.  
"Nope!"  
"Alright! Hold on tight...and prepare for an entrance you won't forget!" Akane held on tighter...wondering what he was planning and whether it was just some twisted perverted plan to get her to hold him closer...absently, she noticed he smelled rather nice...  
  
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The boys of Furinkan crowded at the gates, waiting for the gorgeous Princess to make her appearance. The girls hung back, waiting for their friend to appear. Where was she? In complete silence, they glanced at their watches, and some looks were thrown around the crowd.  
  
Suddenly, with a roar a Harley Davidson burst from the sky above their heads, causing gasps from the crowd. The motorcycle bounced to a halt, squealing, Akane's arms around an unfamiliar guy's waist, a grin on her face. Nabiki Tendo was behind her, pulling off the helmet, shaking her hair off. It looked impossible, like a movie scene. And then the confusion began...  
  
"Who is that?"  
"How dare he be so close to my beloved Akane!"  
"Is that Nabiki...smiling?"  
"He is cuuuuuute!"   
"Oh brother...not again..."  
"There is no way Akane is taken! Not yet!"  
"Mine!"  
"He's mine!"  
"Okay...point two...get a Harley..."  
"I'm never gonna get Akane at this rate!" Gosunkugi wailed.  
"Nabiki is smiling???" the same voice, still wondering.  
  
"Nice entrance, hey?" Ranma smiled at Akane.  
"Yeah...I guess I'll see you later..." Akane smiled at him, and his heart skipped a beat. She slid off the bike.  
"PRINCESS!" The crowd rushed forward.  
"Uh...what is this?"  
"Grgggggghhhh..." Nabiki's mouth couldn't move. Her hair was sticking up from the speed they had been going...it was pretty fast.  
"I don't understand."  
"She'll charge you money for that you know..."He looked over to the voice, it was a tall guy, arms crossed. He was a martial artist, dressed in yellow with a bandanna.  
"Yeah?" Ranma looked over to where Akane was...to see her disappearing, led away by a crowd of girls.   
"You wanna know who that is?" The boy asked, jerking his head towards her.  
"Yeah, I guess..."  
"Don't get any ideas...she's the Princess of Furinkan High. Everyone's darling. Hurt one hair on her head and they'll hunt you down and kill you."  
"Oh yeah?" Ranma looked surprised...she had seemed too nice to be popular.  
"Not to mention me. I'm Furinkan's champion. Akane's my cousin. I'd hurt you personally."  
"That's nice..." Ranma ducked as something sailed through the air. Looking, it was Nabiki's school bag. She seemed to have gotten her voice back...  
"YOU IDIOT! DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY I COULD HAVE MADE? LOOK AT THE GUY! HE'S LOADED! FOOL!" Nabiki slammed her bag over Ryoga's head again, before stomping off, her own little crowd of maids following her.  
"Heh...Nab-chan tends to get a bit temperamental when it comes to money..." Ryoga rubbed his head ruefully.  
"I see..." Ranma smirked.  
"CUR! WHO ARE YOU TO BE SO FAMILIAR WITH PRINCESS AKANE?" A voice rumbled. Ryoga looked up and sighed.   
"Hey...look out...you're not a martial artist, are ya?" Ryoga asked, moving in front of him.  
"Damn right I am! Of the Saotome Anything Goes School! Champion of 253 tournaments from all over Japan and China!" He moved in front of Ryoga, who relaxed and stepped back.  
"Your choice...with a bit of work...Kuno could actually be pretty good..." Ranma turned to the fool who was ranting and raving.  
He looked disbelievingly at Ryoga.  
"Heh...you're right...what was I thinking?" Ryoga rubbed his head sheepishly.  
"...and they call me the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High!" Kuno finished, thunder rumbling in the background.  
"Heh."Ranma snickered.  
"Cur! Pay attention! Fight me!" Kuno took up a ready stance.  
"I don't got time for this." Ranma ran through, kicking and punching Kuno. The fool just kept getting up...Ranma's movements became a blur, and finally Kuno passed out. Ranma winked at Ryoga and walked into the school.  
"Wow!"  
"Did you see that?"  
"What happened?" Ryoga moved forward.  
"He kicked Kuno really fast. Like over a thousand times, each at vital points on the body. Pretty good for a newcomer...but if he practices Anything Goes like Akane...he'd be good. Maybe even better than her..." Ryoga kicked the body once thoughtfully before walking into the school.  
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"I'm Saotome Ranma. I've just come back from China...I am a martial artist...of the Saotome Anything Goes branch...I have a motorbike...and I've spent the last 10 years of my life training in martial arts around China and Japan." He said lazily, before sitting down. The class clapped, and he heard some of the girls whispering about him, causing him to smirk.  
He was sitting behind Akane, as luck would have it. He leant back in his chair, and promptly fell asleep, hands behind his head.  
Akane turned around to look at him during the lesson, and grew angry when she saw he was asleep.  
It was bad enough about the rumours that were going around...they had already named Ranma as the 'Rougue' of Furinkan..  
She sighed and waited for lunch.  
  
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"Hey." Ranma looked up.  
"Hey yourself." Ranma returned to eating his food.  
"Is what you said true? You really practice Saotome style Anything Goes?" She asked, sitting beside him.  
Ranma stopped eating for a moment, not moving, facing his bento. Slowly, he put his lunch aside, and turned to face her.  
"Yeah...it's true." He looked up at her suddenly. She noticed a scar that she couldv'e sworn wasn't there before. It was near invisible, a tiny set of paralell lines across his right eyelid.  
"What are you looking at?"  
"Your scar..."  
"That?" he reached up to touch it, and chuckled.  
"I have a lot worse than that...trust me." The bell rang and as he looked up, Akane turned to leave. He caught her hand.  
"Wait..."  
She looked at him expectantly. His touch was sending tingles through her hand...her breathing caught...hopefully he didn't notice.  
"Meet me at the gates after school...I need someone to show me around Nerima." Dumbfounded, she nodded. There was something about him, the look in his eyes that told her to obey. Later she would curse herself because she had not stood up to him. Since when had Akane Tendo listened to a boy? They were all perverted jerks...but there was something about him...  
Ranma smiled and let go of her hand.  
"Good...I was hoping you'd say yes..." and then the spell was broken, and she turned, aware of his eyes on her. In the shadows, Ryoga slid back, a small smile on his face.  
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When the bell rang, Akane was one of the first out. Ranma was already there, leaning against his bike. Looking at the side of the bike, she was surprised to see lettering she had not noticed before; scratched in the other wise mint conditioned Harley, were the kanji for Ranma Saotome...and they were scratched in _deep_. It looked like something crossed between a nail file and a chain saw had been used...precise but dangerous.  
"Let's go." Ranma nodded to her. Akane looked at him, and nearly laughed out loud. He was dressed like the typical biker...long black pants, leather trenchcoat...fingreless gloves...she looked down at herself and bit her lip. Laughing at him, how about her? She was dressed in a prissy girl's school dress...that wasn't who she was...that was the 'Princess of Furinkan'...an entirely different person to her.  
"Wait..."  
Ranma turned to her, eyebrow raised.  
"Can we go back to my house? I want to change..."  
"I guess so...I see how that isn't entirely appropriate for motorbike riding..." He flashed her a bright grin, causing her heart to skip. In surprise, she found herself smiling back as she swung on behind him.  
"Let's go!" She yelled, her arms around her. She knew that the guys behind her were staring enviously, she didn't care. He knew that the girls behind them were glaring at her...but he didn't care. He grinned as he revved it up for show, and tore off down the street. Once they were away from the school, he relaxed.  
"Hey! I hate to ask you this, but how do we get to your place?" He yelled.  
"Just turn when I tug your jacket!" She yelled back. He turned back, sharing a smile with her.  
Back at Furinkan, Ryoga was waiting with Nabiki to take him home. He saw the two riding off on the bike. He saw the looks the girls and guys gave them. But most of all, he saw the look on Kuno's face. And frowned...Kuno was not thinking happy thoughts. Before he could cross over to pound the jerk, Nabiki came flying out the doorway.  
"Ryoga! Quick! Let's go!" Ryoga scooped her up and left. He never asked questions. Nabiki was a bit of a prankster at times, and always managed to get in trouble for her money-making schemes. He sighed as he looked down at her, she was peering over his shoulder, laughing at some poor fool as they leapt away. He shook his head...poor Uncle Soun...a cheerful-to-the-point-of-being-insane daughter, a prankster/ice queen/mnaipulative bitch daughter and a psychotic-and-dangerous-but-otherwise-very-nice-tomboy daughter...yes, poor Uncle Soun indeed...  
  
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"This is it, here!" The bike screeched to a stop. She clambered off, straightening her dress. She turned to walk in the gates, before noticing something. She looked around. Ranma was distracted, leaning against the bike. He didn't seem to think he was invited in.  
"Well, come on dummy, what are you waiting for, an invitation?" She called to Ranma, who smiled and strolled over. He seemed to want to tell her something, then decided against it.  
"Tadaima!"she called.  
"Akane! Is that you? Where is Nabiki-chan?" A motherly voice floated down the stairs. Ranma looked up in surprise. He hadn't even been able to detect her presence!  
"Hai! It's me oneechan! I don't know where Nab-chan is...it's her turn to take home Ryo-chan though..."Akane blinked.   
"Who is this?" Kasumi turned to him with a sweet smile on her face. Even Ranma couldn't keep the cool facade up.  
"Saotome Ranma, at your service." Ranma bowed politely.  
"Oh! Tendo Kasumi! Please make yourself at home!"  
"Come on Ranma, let me show you my room." Akane turned to her older sister, smiled and began walking up the stairs. Ranma glanced at her, before bowing to Kasumi and running after Akane.  
"Oh my...did I forget to tell him that the floor was wet?" She winced as she heard Ranma yell and a crashing noise after.  
"Oops!"  
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"Ranma, aren't you hot?"  
"No...why?"  
"Well it's kinda hot and you've been wearing that trenchcoat all day!"  
"So you noticed, eh?" Ranma looked around the room, grinning. There was training equipment strewn across the floor. Where were all the cute and fluffy animals? He searched, and found a battered black pig-toy on a shelf. And that was all. He turned back, just in time to see Akane look away quickly. He smiled to himself.  
"You're a bit of a tomboy to be a Princess, aren't you?" He asked.  
"Yeah, but unfortunately, Furinkan doesn't think so." He nodded. He followed her outside.  
"Here, maybe Kasumi's boyfriend left a shirt...yeah, do you wanna wear this?" She pulled up a loose black silk shirt from a hamper. He looked over at it.  
"Yeah, okay."  
"Great...we match..." She remarked sarcastically, causing him to laugh. He pulled open his trenchcoat...he didn't have anything underneath. (No SHIRT hentai's! He had PANTS on!)  
"You don't wear a shirt underneath?" Akane asked. He had a very well defined back, and firm, muscled torso. Akane liked it.  
"No....that way when I fight I just pull this off and I can fight properly." He showed her the waistband, showing that they were kung-fu pants, the drawstring type.  
Akane made a mental note to try and get Nabiki to fix him up in as many fights as possible.  
"Oh...I see...want to go outside while I get changed?"  
"Honestly? No. But I'll turn away."  
"Oh well then...just don't tell the other guys...no peeking." Akane had had boyfriends, she wasn't shy about undressing in front of them. She liked teasing them...they never actually got anywhere...Mr Mallet made sure of that.  
She pulled off her dress, slipping on the fresh black chinese shirt and blue jeans.  
"You can turn around now." She thought it'd be interesting to tease him, so she left a few of the buttons undone, and as he turned around, started buttoning them up slowly.  
"You tryin to tease me?"  
Akane looked at him innocently.  
"You don't wanna do that...I might get carried away and you can't beat me in a fight."  
Just what was he implying? Carried away? By her mallet, most likely!  
"Come on, 'Princess' let's go; I wanna go show all the other guys my cute friend."  
"Guys? Just where do you want to go?" Akane became suspicious.  
"Aw...nothing like that! Sheesh! What do ya take me for?"  
Akane blushed.  
"Gomen...I just don't know you too well." His indignation softened.  
"Nah...my fault I guess...come on, let's go...I feel like I'm dirtyin' ya house just by standin here." He walked off, not waiting for her to follow.  
"Hey...wait!" she did a sort of hop skip after him. Kasumi bit her lip in a grin as she watched from the hall.   
We Tendo sisters can't help but to look for the bad boys, hmm? She shook her head, then went to her room to wake her darling Tofu up.  
  
"So...where are we going?"  
And are you a virgin? Akane shook her head.  
WAI! Bad Akane! Akane no hentai!  
"Meet some friends of mine. If you like bikes, you'll love my friends." He put a hand on her shoulder. His breath brushed her neck as she shivered. He leant in closer so his lips almost brushed her ear.  
"And yeah...I am a virgin." He smirked and turned away, keeping walking. Akane blushed bright scarlet.   
"I said that out loud?" She squeaked. She stood there, in the middle of the road, frozen, until she shook herself out of it.   
"Ranma!" She ran after him.  
  
"Hey...it's the big bad Saotome...back from China, eh?" An old man grinned at him as she walked through the shop door. He raised his eyebrows slightly at Akane, but then he bowed, taking his hat off.  
"Ma'am. It's nice to see Ranma taking an interest in girls. For a moment I thought he might've been gay."   
"Aw...watch ya mouth old man!" Ranma mock swinged at the old man, who was surprisingly fast.  
"Show some respect to your uncle, Ranma!"  
"Sorry, sorry, this is my Uncle Himatora, Uncle, this is Akane. She practices Anything Goes aswell, I met her on my way to school today." Himatora's eyes sparkled.   
"Nice to meet you, Akane-chan."  
"Hai, same here Himatora-san." Akane gave him a smile.  
"So where's those lazy cousins of mine?"  
"Hiromi and Hiroshi are out the back."  
"Thanks Uncle. Later!" Ranma waved as he walked through the back door.  
  
"Ranma!" A small girl, maybe 7 or 8 ran squealing up to Ranma, tackling him by the knees.   
"Hey Hitomi-chan, how ya doin?" Ranma leant down to pick the little girl up. She had long curled blue hair and large reddish-brown eyes.   
"Ranma?" A shadow came out, wiping their hands on a grease-covered rag.  
"Hiromi! How are ya man?"  
"What have I told you before about calling me a man?" The girl came into the light. She looked exactly like an older version of Hitomi.   
"Just joking, just jok-" Ranma spun around and caught a fist that was right where his head had been. He yanked on it, sending a guy sprawling onto the ground.  
"Let me guess...this is Hiroshi?" Akane asked him.   
"Nope...this is Daisuke, Hiroshi's best friend and one of mine too."   
"Hey Ranma, still too fast I see. Hiromi, why won't you go out with me, I don't understand it!" He started pleading with the other girl.  
"Because you cheated on me Daisuke!" She turned her back on him.  
"I was drunk!"  
"5 times?" She pulled out a shining spanner and started attacking Daisuke with it.  
"Ouch! Ah! It was- Argh! an acci-eek!dent!" Akane watched, mouth open.  
"Ranma, come see what we've done so far!" A voice drifted in from the back. He grabbed Akane's hand and led her to the back. A pair of feet stuck out from underneath a car. Wheeling himself out, a guy sat up. He had darker blue hair, almost black but he still had the red eyes like his sisters.   
"Yo...Ranma...and who's this?"  
"I'm Akane...nice car, who's is it?"  
"Mine. Old Dodge Viper, restoring it to mint-condition." He smiled proudly, wiping a hand through his hair. On this action, it became apparent that his hair was the same shade as his sisters, it was just oil and grease covering it.  
"We're here to see the bikes, Hiroshi."  
"Oh yeah...where's that useless lump...DAISUKE!" The 'lump' stumbled in, covered in bruises and cuts.  
"Daisuke! I told you not to mess with my sister! Especially not when she's got that bedamned monkey wrench..."  
"It was the spanner this time."  
"Meh...no difference by the time she's beat your thick skull with it...I wish you wouldn't annoy her, then she wouldn't wreck the tools in the shop, man."  
"Sorry, sorry."  
"No you're not."  
"I am too!"  
"Am not..."  
"BIKES!" Ranma called.   
"Oh yeah...hey Ranma, wanna see the Shaggin Wagon? We've finally finished it..." Hiroshi pulled off one of the dust covers. Inside was an expensive looking car, shining black outside with a sleek design and tinted windows, and painted motifs along the panels...  
"What's it like inside?" Akane asked.   
"Go in and find out!" Daisuke nudged Hiroshi.  
"Hey Ranma...there's a problem inside with the door...can you go check it? Ranma eyed his friends warily, but uncrossed his arms and slid inside the panel-van. Just in time to hear a "click".   
"Ranma?" Akane's voice was heard somewhere by his foot.  
"I'm going to kill those fools."  
"What, you don't think I'm good enough for you?" She sighed.  
"Too good." He remarked gloomily.  
"Too soon."  
"Yeah." He felttwo hands grab his head and pull down, pulling him on top of Akane.  
"Akane...what are you doing?" He was silenced as Akane kissed him. Their ki glowed in the darkness as Akane slid closer, pressing in harder. A leg wrapped around his waist.  
"Don't tease me Akane." His breathing was harsh and his voice a low growl. The leg slid off and Akane stopped kissing his throat. He pulled back slightly, enough to see Daisuke's eye peeping through a slit.  
"Why you..." He punched without a thought, busting a hole through the side of the car.  
"RANMA, NO!"  
"RANMA!" Daisuke, Hiroshi and Hiromi screamed.  
"Oops. Let's run Akane."  
They sped out, past his uncle who shook his head and smiled and onto Ranma's bike.   
Akane leant closer, holding onto him until they got to her house. Just as she turned to leave, Ranma grabbed her arm and yanked her close to him, pressing a hard kiss against her mouth as he pressed against her. Then he was on his bike and gone. The last thought Akane had before she walked into the house was;  
Damn...wet panties.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Part 2

  
SANCTUARY- CHAPTER 2  
  
Insert standard disclaimer: *Runs away from Rumiko-san who is dangerously close with a mallet*  
  
Another sunny day. Akane woke and stretched from the pleasant dream where she met a cute guy on a motor bike and he kissed her. Rubbing her eyes she thought about a funny thought that it was real but immediately dismissed the idea. That was, until she caught sight of her open diary lying on her table. Her hand flew to her mouth.  
"My god...he's real!" She stood frozen.  
  
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"Mornin everyone..." Ryoga stumbled groggily downstairs.  
"Good morning Ryo-chan!" Akane came and hugged him.  
"What the-"  
"She's been at it all morning. Maybe she got some..." Nabiki whispered. Ryoga turned red.  
"Nabiki!" He scolded.  
"Akane! Please sit still!"  
"He's real! He's real!" Akane's eyes sparkled as she skipped around the table.  
"Waaaaaaah...my baby girl's finally got a boyfriend!"  
"Boyfriend, hmm?" Nabiki sidled over to her. Ryoga smiled to himself. Good...Saotome was playing right. He'd go talk to him today.  
"No!" But Akane blushed.  
"Time for you to leave for school or else you'll be late!" Kasumi smiled gently. They'd go to school, she'd clean house, then leave for Uni...and if she was punctual then she'd make it to the supermarket, Tofu's and home just on time.  
"Okay! Bye!"  
"Bye Kasumi!"  
"Bye Oneechan!"  
  
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"Okay. All the juicy details." Akane opened her mouth to speak when a sleek black car purred up.  
"Hey...everyone wanna hop in?" Ranma grinned.  
"Why thank you Mr Saotome. Ryoga and I will sit in the back." Ryoga opened his mouth, but Nabiki gave him a vicious smile.   
"Hey Ranma."  
"Hey Ryoga."  
Nabiki mentally filed the fact that they were familiar away for later.  
"Hi Akane...everybody buckle up let's go!" The last words were said in a rush as they pulled off.   
"Whoa!" Nabiki whooped. Ryoga smirked and crossed his arms.  
"Still into showing off Saotome?"  
"Aaah, so you remember me now, Ryoga?"  
"Yeah, it came to me last night...I thought you were familiar." Ranma turned back and winked.  
Nabiki kept silent, nobody noticing the tape recorder in her hands.  
"So where do you live now?"  
"Me and oyaji just came back from training in China, we finally finished. I'm at my old house, the one I told you about?"  
"Oh yeah...take a left here Saotome...not a right!"  
"Well whatever you tell me is bound to get me lost so therefore I should probably do the opposite!" Ranma laughed, his white teeth showing bright and even.  
"Actually Ryo-chan, he's right...you are supposed to go right here." Akane giggled.  
"So are you and Ranma dating now?" Nabiki smirked.  
"NABIKI!" Akane glared at her and blushed furiously. Ranma smirked.  
"Aaaaah...this is the life Ryoga...girls falling for me everywhere..."  
"Yeah..you remember Shampoo?"  
"Yeah...psycho chick with purple hair?"  
"Mmm...she still after you?"  
"Nnnn...I dunno..." Ranma skidded to a halt out in the school carpark.  
"Everyone out." His eyes glinted at the horde of boys standing in front of the school.  
"It's showtime." He grinned, and Ryoga jumped out of the back to stand behind him, arms out to keep Nabiki and Akane away.   
  
A trenchcoat flew through the air, landing on the sidewalk. Whispers and murmurs ran through the crowd.  
"Wow...look at that bod!"  
"Lucky Akane..."  
"We're going to get bashed, aren't we?"  
"First a motorbike and then a car? I'll never keep up at this rate!"  
"I heard he even thrashed Kuno!"  
He stepped up the front steps slowly, his feet tapping the slabs lightly. Then he drew back into a ready position.  
"Alright Kuno...let's fight."  
The kendoist leapt forward, bokken at the ready. Ranma dodged his strikes effortlessly, twisting and flipping.  
Ryoga watched carefully. He had improved alot since they had last met, he noticed. Finally, Ranma stood still.  
"Hah! I, Tatewaki Kuno, The Blue Thunder of Furinkan High, have you now, cur!" And his blade slashed down...  
Down...  
Down...  
Down...  
The same bokken that could cut through trees effortlessly...  
Fell towards Ranma...  
Who caught it between his two fingers. And casually snapped it. The school gasped.   
And Kuno looked stunned. Finally, his expression became outraged...and he leapt towards Ranma again, striking blindly...and there was a flash of white...  
Later some would say he was distracted by Nabiki's camera, and that it was her fault somehow. Other's would have said he was careless. But Kuno landed a punch...a punch that got him into hospital.  
After Kuno landed the punch, everyone waited...and waited. Ranma's head stayed down, as if in shock...before it snapped back and he went wild...striking Kuno with 3 thousand punches to the stomach. He went feral, and Kuno flew through the walls, crashing through the hall, blood spraying everywhere. Ranma stood, chest heaving, hands back, feet apart, hair in his eyes.   
"No one ask any questions. Leave the fool." Ryoga threw his coat towards his back, and he caught it in one fist without even blinking. Sliding into it, he walked into the school.  
How could I be so stupid? Losing control again...and not even over soemthing worthwhile...  
Ranma...what's happened to you? Ryoga watched him fade into the distance.  
"I'll tend to Kuno-baby." Nabiki tactfully slipped into the hole's where the wall was demolished, in search of Kuno.  
"Ry...Ryoga-kun? What h-happened?" Ryoga cursed himself. Ranma and himself had seen some pretty wild sights when they were children...but that was in the wild...this was civilisation. Looking around, everyone else had the same shocked look. And Akane's wide, scared eyes gazing up at him.  
"That is how Ranma fights. That is the Saotome Anything Goes school." He turned, and walked into the school after Ranma.  
So that was Ryoga's secret training that he won't teach me. No wonder he's so much better...I knew he couldn't only know Tendo Anything Goes!  
Scooping her bag off the ground, she hurried after he cousin and the 'Rogue'.  
  
That day, everyone left them well alone. Word had got out Kuno was in hospital and on life support. He had 2 cracked ribs, 3 shattered ones, a broken spine and internal damage to his stomach and kidneys. He would live, but he would have to be very careful afterwards.   
Ranma sat, at first glance, by himself, in a corner. Carefully, Akane approached him. Upon walking closer, she noticed Ryoga was sitting with him, talking to him casually.  
"Ranma?" Ranma looked up and slipped into a half-grin.  
"Hey Princess...what brings you here? Come to mess with the cold-blooded killer?" His eyes turned to rest on the room which watched them. Everyone shivered as his eyes met theirs, each individually.  
"Oh don't worry. I've heard the rumours, the whispers. That's fine. Wasn't planning on staying long anyway." He turned back to Ryoga. Akane slipped closer, putting a hand on his arm. He stiffened up.  
"Ranma...can I talk to you?"She asked softly.  
"Best keep away from me Akane. I'm -dangerous-." His voice was mocking but she thought she heard a tremor of sadness underneath.  
"Ranma-"  
"Just leave me alone Akane." He stood up, his bento spilling off his lap onto the floor. He leapt upwards in a backwards somersault onto the roof and was gone.   
"Now look what you've done Akane...now I have to go find him again!" Ryoga said, exasperated, although he caught her tear-filled eyes and his face softened enough for a slight grin.  
"We'll be okay Akane...just trust me...and him." Bending down to gather enough power, his leg muscles bunched up and he bounded upwards after his friend, and was soon out of sight.  
"Did you know Ryoga could do that?"  
"No...but did you see the way -he- looked at us?"  
"Yeah...he may be cute but he's freaky!"  
"I'm scared Joni..."  
The whispers washed over Akane as her friends came to comfort her. Never in her life had she ever felt so alone.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. Family Values

SANCTUARY  
  
chapter 3  
  
______________________  
  
Crawling in my skin  
Consuming all I feel  
Fear is how I feel  
Confusing what is real  
  
There's something in me that pulls beneath the surface  
Consuming Confusing  
This lack of self-control I fear is never ending  
Controlling   
I can't seem  
  
To find myself again  
My walls are closing in  
Without a sense of confidence and I'm convinced  
That there's just too much pressure to take  
I've felt this way before  
So insecure  
Discomfort, endlessly has pulled itself upon me  
Distracting, Reacting  
Against my will I stand beside my own reflection  
It's haunting how I can't seem  
To find myself again  
My walls are closing in  
Without a sense of confidence and I'm convinced  
That there's just too much pressure to take  
I've felt this way before  
So insecure  
  
Ranma was sitting in a tree. Not any tree, no, had to be the biggest cherry blossom tree in the whole of Nerima. And as Ryoga looked at his old friend, he knew that Ranma could demolish it with a single, feather-light touch. He had to be careful.  
"Hey Ryoga." Ranma looked down, seeing the Eternal Lost Boy scratching his head as he tried to figure out how to get up.  
Should I tell him there's a ladder on the other side? Nah... Ranma watched as Ryoga began the long, tedious climb, hanging dangerously from branches.  
Oh well. Good training. He's let himself become slack since we parted.  
Nonetheless, as Ryoga neared the top he was still not breathing heavily.  
"Come sit here." Ranma motioned towards a parallel branch.   
"She's beautiful, isn't she?" Ranma sighed. The view was unrivalled. Sitting on top of a hill in the park, the tree towered over Nerima, giving a view of everything from miles around. Including the ladder, but oh well.  
"Who?"  
"The tree."   
"Oh." Ryoga facefaulted.  
"What, did you want me to say Akane?" Ranma turned to look at him.  
"I was kinda expecting it, yeah." Ryoga admitted.  
"Yeah, she's beautiful too." Ranma shrugged.  
"So, what do you think?" He gazed at Ryoga, who began to fidget and feel extremely uncomfortable.  
"About what?"  
"You KNOW what. Don't play Ryoga. I'm kinda depressed."  
"Well...I thought you had control?"  
"So did I. I thought that after that...accident...with Pop, Neko had learnt to control herself."  
"But she didn't, did she? And J-Jusenkyo just made it worse...now she has a body to emerge into."  
  
A few metres away, Akane and Nabiki craned to hear what they were saying.  
"Who would've thought that bugging this tree would actually have some uses?" Nabiki smiled to herself.  
"Sssh! What do they mean, Neko? And what's Jusenkyo?"  
"Shut up and we might actually find out!"  
  
"Ranma...I haven't actually seen Neko's...physical form yet...may I?"  
"I don't know Ryoga...it might not be safe. She might go looking for my Dad again."  
"Well...I could hold you back, couldn't I?" Ryoga's voice betrayed his doubt.  
"I'm not sure...even though she's weaker coz she's a girl, Neko's still pretty strong...and although you were almost a match for me when we left, I've kept training and you haven't, Ryoga."  
"Right...Right...so what do we do? Do you have any pictures, just so I know what to look out for?"  
"No...she has an aversion to cameras. She shredded the last one into 24 000 pieces, I think. It's just too hard. Look out for a shortish girl that looks like me with red hair."  
"Will do."  
There was a pregnant silence.  
  
"So where do we go from here?"  
"I can't go back to school."  
"Why?"  
"You know damn well why! I might just go to Uncle's, maybe get a job there. That's one thing Neko and I agree on, motorbikes. She hates cars though."  
"I...see..."  
"So did you clear the thing up with Ucchan?"  
"Um...no...I kinda...ran away..." Ryoga looked away and mumbled.  
"You're crap, you know that. She'll hunt you down."  
"What about Shampoo?"  
"Her? Got rid of her. Sat her down, hired a translator, explained that I couldn't marry her but that I'd be honoured to be part of the clan if she'd adopt me as her brother."  
"True? That's a good idea. Did it work?"  
"Yeah, but now Mousse keeps trying to be nice to me so that I'll give him permission to marry Shampoo. I keep saying yes, but Shampoo keeps saying no. And you know, the woman's word over the man's."  
"Yeah.." there was a chuckle between the two.  
  
Down on the ground, Akane and Nabiki sat listening.   
"Marriage? This gets more and more interesting."  
"Excuse me? Have you seen Shampoo's- I mean, my brother, Ranma Saotome?" A pretty, purple-haired girl that looked about their age asked them.  
"This day just gets better and better." Nabiki muttered.  
Coincidence...maybe? (And above the Discworld, Fate lifted his hand...JJ)  
"Um no..would you like me to take a message?"Akane elbowed her sister as she opened her mouth.  
"Oh no, I'll just wander around, thank you! I'm Xian Pu of Joketsuzoku."  
"Akane Tendo of Tendo Anything Goes. Nice to meet you. This is my sister Nabiki."  
"Tendo? Mr Genma Panda talk about that name alot...oh dear, sorry, I keep falling back into my old habits. Well I might see you around! Bye!" She smiled and was gone in the blink of an eye.  
"That was uniquely interesting."  
"She was so pretty...what chance do I have?"  
Unbeknownst to the two pairs, someone else watched, and waited.  
  
"Well at least, let's go find Akane. I...uh...kinda need you to take me home."  
"Still got that sense of direction, Ryoga?"  
"Shut up, bakayarou."  
Ranma leapt from the branch, leaving Ryoga up the top. Landing softly on his feet with a slight *pfff* of dust clouds rising from his feet. He motioned to the other side, where Ryoga found a ladder.  
"Bastard." Ryoga muttered as he began his long descent down the tree.  



	4. The Masks We Wear

[SANCTUARY]  
  
She's the undisputed Princess of Furinkan High. He's just the bad boy next door. But when good meets bad...an angel and a demon fall in love...  
  
(A/N) THANK YOU SO MUCH! To everyone who e-mailed me and encouraged me to keep writing this! I was going to leave it for dead, but now I'm back! With new inspiration!  
Dedicated to Stephanie Hoa and Chris (KP21456@aol.com) Luv to you both!  
  
  
CHaPTeR 4: Behind the Masks we wear  
  
___________________________________  
___________________________________   
  
The sun had almost set behind the chain-link fence. This period of time, this twilight, was Ranma time. All he had to himself, and even then it was usually spent making the journey to the Master. So any thinking, or idling, practicing or shopping, had to be done on the way. The Master always expected him to be punctual.  
  
Ranma sighed as he jogged along the fence-top. He had lost control, and that was something he should not have done. And because of his actions, an innocent was hurt. Innocent. Feh. Tatewaki Kuno was anything but.  
Before he knew it, he stood in front of the mansion, a dark imposing structure that towered over the rest of Nerima. Taking a deep breath, he growled, throwing his shoulders back as he strode inside.  
  
The shadows lay stagnant, cast by the moon throwing it's light through the window. It was nightfall already, the time spent on his walk meant precious moments wasted.   
He was late.  
  
"Kojiro!" He growled. A shadow seemed to coil, and drift towards him.   
"Yes, Ranma-san?"  
"Where is he?" The ninja's shadowed eyes seemed to gleam in pleasure.  
"He is expecting you. He has been waiting." Ranma almost snapped the smaller man's neck in annoyance. He was so sick of this overly-dramatic set-up. If he'd been through it once, he'd been through it a thousand times. And everytime sent a shiver down his spine. Ranma hated being made to feel scared and weak.  
"Show me the way."  
It was so hard to predict where the man he called Master would be, thought Ranma. At each visit, the man made certain that Ranma could neither find nor sense him until Kojiro directed him, or he showed himself. By the way and feel of the passages Kojiro was leading him through, (he absently leapt over a dark crevasse) the Master was in the Green Room. The mansion was a living, festering mass of traps. The Master was a very paranoid man. That, and so sadistic, he created them purely for Ranma's torture.  
  
Kojiro silently swung the door to the Green Room open, then dissolved back into the shadows. If Ranma strained his ears, he could hear very very soft footsteps padding away. Tendrils of smoke drifted out, causing Ranma to grimace in disgust.   
The circle of men reclining on big leather couches made Ranma feel out of place. But he must never show that. If he did, there would surely be punishment afterwards.  
He stepped into the room, winding through the clusters of businessmen. Old, fat, thin...the smoke came from the opium a small group were smoking near the door. They looked up as he walked past, grinning, showing yellowed teeth in skeletal faces. Ranma felt disgusted, and kept moving on. Closer to the powerful presence at the back of the room. A hand groped his ass and he whirled around snarling. Firh, the Master's pet whore smiled cheekily, then winked as he strutted the room. Firh was a beautiful man, more so than most, with tangled blonde locks and a devilishly seductive mouth. He had high cheekbones, and deceptive blue eyes. Yes, Firh was a very pretty gajin. Ranma dared not to strike him, for to blemish that perfect skin earned a countenance of three hundred strokes from the master.  
Instead, he gritted his teeth and continued his way to the back.  
A small gambling table was set up, and many powerful infuences, both local and international, Ranma recognised. None recognised him. The Master looked up, and halted play with a powerful hand. A head and shoulders taller than the man sitting next to him, he was big, powerful, strong and distinguished.   
"Report." His voice was like gravel, like thunder creating a cyclone.   
"Ranma Saotome, sir. Reporting on Furinkan High, sir. One Nabiki Tendo present, sir. One Akane Tendo present, sir. One Ryoga Hibiki present, sir. All living at the Tendo Dojo, sir. Outlets for business present, sir. No sign of Honoured Elder Kho Lon yet, sir." His eyes stayed focused, seemingly blank as they gazed at the wall just past the Master's ear. But the Master knew better. He could feel the hatred seething through Ranma.  
He shuddered. At least that old bat hadn't caught their tail yet, or they'd be in the shit and then some.   
"Good. Dismissed." Ranma opened his mouth as if to say something, but play had resumed. There was nothing else to do. He left. Firh gave him a flirty smile as he passed him, pouting when Ranma didn't react.  
Once outside the Green Room, when the door closed, he shook with rage. That man, that creature that he called Master. His own father. Second in Command of Tokyo's Yakuza. And he treated most prisoners with more affection than his own son. He wouldn't cry. He wouldn't cry. He could wait until he got home.   
  
Ranma didn't notice the soft sound of the door behind him closing. Soft hands caressed his back and shoulders.  
"Firh." Who else would it be? But he made no attempt to stop him, and so the hands kneaded into the muscle, relaxing him, caressing the flesh. Soothing him. The hands gripped his shoulders and turned him to face his captor. Firh was a head taller than Ranma, and more beautiful than any man had any right to be. He leant in, and brushed his lips against Ranma's ear.   
"Come on Ranma, I'll take you home."  
Numbly, Ranma let himself be led out of the grounds and back to his apartment.  
  
At his apartment, Firh stood at the bottom of the steps.   
"Good night Ranma Saotome." He wrapped his arms around Ranma's waist, pausing to gauge his reaction, and frowned when he saw tears in the younger boys eyes. Leaning in he kissed them away, then brushed his lips lightly against Ranma's.  
"Take care." He finished, stepping back, and then walking into the darkness.   
Ranma pushed the door open and stepped into his apartment, going through his nightly routine mechanically. Only when he was safe in bed did he let the tears fall.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
(AUTHOR'S NOTES: Ranma is NOT gay. Firh is just a little tasty piece of shounen-ai. The rest of this story will not be this dark, only a few chapters every now and then. E-mail me if you have any other queries.) 


	5. Sorries

[sorry]  
  
Hey everyone...just gotta say that I'm sorry but this fic probably will be on hold for a while because of those everyday things such as exams...and more exams...and, oh yea, schooL!  
  
Also I've kinda lost interest...inspire me! And maybe I'll be able to write again.  
Nah, I'm lyin...I'll probably still write...but it might be a whole lot different, be warned!  
  
- Sila*  
  
I hope y'all have a great year and holidays! :) 


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